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Bronze-certified AUGUST 15-18, 2018 Clean Regatta since 2016 ​ 4 days, 5 courses, 15 fleets, 120 boats, 1,200 sailors

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Day 4: Fog and wet conditions don’t deter sailors on final day of racing Toombs sails to Farr 30 title with perfect 10/10 1st-place finishes

CHESTER, NOVA SCOTIA (August 18, 2018) – After three nearly perfect sunny days, sailors brought out ​ their foul weather gear for the fourth day of racing at Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2018. Thick fog, swells and rains that varied from a sprinkling to torrential downpour didn’t dampen enthusiasm at the many start lines.

See Day-4 drone footage here.

“It wouldn’t be Chester if we didn’t have these rainy days,” said Patricia Nelder, 2018 chair of on-water activities. “Despite some fog, the fleets were able to get in a few more races to finish the regatta. Even after three days of intense sailing, everyone was in good form and adjusted to take advantage of the wind.”

PHOTO: Charlottetown Yacht Club’s Peter Toombs steers the crew of the Farr 30 Head First 3 (blue hull with ​ ​ ​ red stripes at right) to the 10th of 10 first-place finishes for a perfect regatta score on Day 4 of Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2018 hosted by Chester Yacht Club on Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. (Credit: © 2018 Tim Wilkes / www.timwilkes.com, high-res image available on request)

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Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2018 media release August 18, 2018: overall results

Throughout the week all four one-design fleets were extremely competitive, moving as one through their courses. It takes an extra edge to lead a fleet where all the boats are essentially identical.

Of the 21 Bluenoses competing this year, Privateer, skippered by 18-year-old Brooklyn-NY native Connor ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mraz, with his father Jason and best-friend Will McInnes (Chester, NS) as crew, maintained his position in the ​ top-three boats consistently over four days winning the overall Bluenose Class title for 2018. Mraz said the highlight was three bullet (first place) starts on Friday.

“I’ve been sailing with my dad and Will all summer so we’ve had lots of time to practice together as a team, and we’ve sailed in a variety of conditions. It’s all about consistency and teamwork for us. We each have at least 10 years’ experience on Mahone Bay, so we were able to read the conditions, which made a big difference,” Mraz said.

The Sonar fleet was larger than ever this year, with eight boats competing - six of them from Lunenburg Yacht Club. Halifax-native Rob Barbara and his crew on Barbarian placed in the top 3 in all their races over the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ four days taking top spot for 2018. Barbara attributes their success to great teamwork and the right conditions.

“The courses were excellent and the conditions were perfect. As a team, we work really well together and we make sure to have fun when we sail. When all these variables align, it makes for fantastic sailing. The regatta couldn’t have been better for us,” Barbara said.

The Farr 30s sailed in a close pack throughout, but Peter Toombs and his boat Head First 3 out of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Charlottetown Yacht Club stayed consistently ahead in the fleet of seven boats, winning every race and the ​ 2018 class title.

Rounding out the one-design fleets, Halifax-native Evan Petley-Jones took four bullets, three seconds and ​ ​ ​ ​ two thirds to clinch the 2018 International One Design title aboard Bella. ​ ​

Kristina Gilbert from Port Credit, Ontario, won a trip from Halifax to Bermuda on a Volvo Ocean Racing yacht and $1,000 in gear for the trip from title sponsor Helly Hansen. Gilbert will be making the 7-day journey from Halifax to Bermuda this November.

Gilbert volunteered as a race committee member at this year’s Helly Hansen Chester Race Week, and has been building up her race-committee experience at regattas across Canada in recent months. She said the chance to race on the Volvo Ocean Race boat is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and she’s looking forward to the journey. If possible, she is planning to spend some time in Bermuda when she lands.

“I’m in shock. I’ve only ever spent one night on a boat so this will be a really exciting challenge. I met the crew when they were at Port Credit Yacht Club, so I know the people on the boat. I’m excited because it’s going to be amazing, but I’m nervous as well. Fortunately I don’t get seasick.”

OVERALL 2018 RESULTS

Place, Yacht Name, Type, Owner/Skipper, Hometown, Results, Total Points

Bluenose (One Design - 21 Boats) 1. Privateer, Bluenose 23, Connor Mraz , Brooklyn, NY, USA - 6 -3 -[8] -8 -5 -3 -4 -1 -1 -1 -5 -6 ; 43 2. Dark’n Stormy, Bluenose 23, John Mosher , Chester, NS, USA - 8 -7 -6 -2 -2 -[15] -1 -7 -4 -2 -2 -3 ; 44 3. Wahoo, Bluenose 23, Henry Demone , Chester, NS, CAN - 9 -1 -1 -3 -9 -2 -5 -6 -6 -[10] -3 -9 ; 54

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Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2018 media release August 18, 2018: overall results

Classics (Pursuit - 7 Boats) 1. Seneca, Classic 48, David Creighton , Chester, NS, CAN - 1 -3 -1 -1 ; 6 2. Virginia, Wm Gardner Q 46, John Wurts , Chester, NS, CAN - 4 -4 -2 -2 ; 12 3. pursuit, custom peterson 46 46, bob belliveau , chester, CAN - 2 -1 -3 -8 ; 14

Distance 1 (PHRF_ToT - 9 Boats) 1. Deviation, J 120 40, Stu McCrea , Halifax, NS, CAN - 1 -2 -1 -1 -[3] ; 5 2. Wandrian , Taylor 41 41, Bill Tucker , Halifax, NS, CAN - 4 -[5] -3 -2 -2 ; 11 3. Rebel Rebel, X-Yacht X-35 35, Sarah / Greg Hardy , Halifax, NS, CAN - [6] -1 -5 -6 -1 ; 13

Distance 2 (PHRF_ToT - 7 Boats) 1. HELOC, J 35 35, Andrew Childs , Halifax, NS, CAN - [3] -2 -1 -2 -1 ; 6 2. Young Blood, J 100 32', Larry Creaser , Chester, NS, CAN - 1 -1 -2 -[3] -3 ; 7 3. J'ai Tu, J 35 35, Rodney Johnstone / Gary Bennett , Storrs, CT, USA - 2 -[4] -3 -1 -2 ; 8

Distance 3 (PHRF_ToT - 5 Boats) 1. Poohsticks, J 92 30, Colin Mann , Lunenburg, NS, CAN - [4] -1 -1 -1 -3 ; 6 2. Persistence, Frers 33 33.25, Mike / Heather Hoyt , Herring Cove, NS, CAN - 2 -[3] -2 -2 -1 ; 7 3. Wildthing VI, Beneteau 42s7 42, Greg/Liz Hammond , Glen Margaret, NS, CAN - 1 -4 -4 -[5] -4 ; 13

Distance 4 (PHRF_ToT - 7 Boats) 1. Just Add Water, J 30 30, Jesleine Baker , Halifax, NS, CAN - [3] -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 4 2. Highlander, Dehler DB1 33, Dan Pride , Halifax, NS, CAN - 1 -[4] -4 -2 -4 ; 11 3. Dark Water, C&C 33 29, Donald K Walker , Dartmouth, NS, CAN - 4 -3 -2 -[5] -2 ; 11

Distance 5 (PHRF_ToT - 12 Boats) 1. Foxy Lady, Chaser 29 29, Bob Cragg , Chester , NS, CAN - 3 -1 -[11] -2 -1 ; 7 2. Roguewave, Viking 28 28, Elizabeth Whyte , Halifax, NS, CAN - [5] -2 -4 -1 -2 ; 9 3. Patience, Nonsuch 30 Ultra 30, Bruce Flinn , Halifax, NS, CAN - 1 -6 -1 -6 -[9] ; 14

Inshore 2 - J105 (PHRF_ToT - 5 Boats) 1. McMac, J 105 10.5m, Sean McDermott / Rory MacDonald , Dartmouth, NS, CAN - [2] -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 5 2. MOJO, J 105 35, James Mosher , Lunenburg, NS, CAN - 1 -3 -2 -2 -2 -[6] ; 10 3. Buzz, J 105 35, Barry Eisener , lunenburg, NS, CAN - 3 -2 -[5] -3 -3 -2 ; 13

Inshore 1 (PHRF_ToT - 9 Boats) 1. Painkiller, J 29 29.5, jane filbee , Halifax, NS, CAN - 1 -1 -1 -2 -3 -[5] -3 -1 ; 12 2. Scotch Mist IV, J 29 29, Chris MacDonald , Halifax, NS, CAN - 4 -2 -2 -1 -1 -4 -2 -[5] ; 16 3. Paradigm shift, J 29 29, Don Williams , Halifax, NS, CAN - 3 -4 -[10] -3 -4 -2 -1 -4 ; 21

Inshore 3 (PHRF_ToT - 9 Boats) 1. Apres Ski, Laser 28 28, Tony Thompson , Bedford , NS, CAN - 2 -3 -1 -1 -[5] -1 -1 ; 9 2. Hummin, Soling 26, Bill Haliburton , Halifax, NS, can - 1 -2 -4 -2 -2 -3 -[10] ; 14 3. Hoonigan, Soling 27, Ivan Fitch , Chester, NS, CAN - 4 -1 -3 -4 -[6] -2 -4 ; 18

Distance (Starting on the Inshore Course) - C&C99 (PHRF_ToT - 4 Boats) 1. Agent 99, C&C 99 33, Rob Crutcher , Bedford, NS, CAN - 1 -1 -1 -1 -[2] -1 ; 5 2. Equinox 99, C&C 99 33, Rod Stright , Halifax, NS, CAN - [2] -2 -2 -2 -1 -2 ; 9 3. Demons Dance, C&C 99 32.5, Andrew Watts , Halifax, NS, CAN - 3 -[4] -3 -4 -3 -3 ; 16

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Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2018 media release August 18, 2018: overall results

Sonar (One Design - 8 Boats) 1. Barbarian, Sonar 23, Rob Barbara , Halifax, NS, CAN - 2 -1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -[3] -1 -1 -3 ; 14 2. Ping, Sonar 23, Andreas Josenhans , Lunenburg , NS, CAN - 1 -2 -1 -[6] -3 -2 -3 -4 -2 -3 -1 ; 22 3. Model T, Sonar 23, Lesley Taylor , Halifax, NS, CAN - [5] -3 -4 -3 -2 -3 -5 -2 -3 -2 -2 ; 29

Farr 30 (One Design - 7 Boats) 1. Head First 3, Farr 30 30, Peter Toombs , Charlottetown, PEI, CAN - [1] -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 10 2. One More Time, Farr 30 30, Rob Gale , Halifax, NS, CAN - 2 -2 -[6] -5 -2 -2 -3 -2 -3 -3 -4 ; 28 3. Yardsail, Farr 30 30, Robert Apold / Roby Douglas , Halifax, NS, CAN - 6 -4 -2 -3 -4 -4 -2 -[7] -7 -2 -3 ; 37

International One Design (One Design - 10 Boats) 1. Bella, IOD 30, Evan Petley-Jones , Halifax, NS, CAN - 2 -1 -1 -[5] -2 -1 -1 -3 -2 -4 -3 ; 20 2. Enigma, IOD 33, Steve Bush , Los Ranchos, NM, USA - 4 -3 -3 -1 -[7] -6 -2 -1 -1 -2 -5 ; 28 3. Restless, IOD 33', Ted Murphy , Halifax, NS, CAN - 1 -[6] -4 -2 -4 -2 -5 -6 -4 -3 -1 ; 32

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About Helly Hansen Chester Race Week Hosted by the Chester Yacht Club in the picturesque South-Shore Nova Scotia village of Chester in mid-August each year, Helly Hansen Chester Race Week is North America’s largest annual keel boat race week (4 days of sailing) and plays host to more than 130 boats from near and far.

Named one of Sailing World magazine’s 14 greatest sailing events in North America, each August, 1,200-plus ​ ​ sailors arrive in Mahone Bay on Nova Scotia’s scenic South Shore to compete in one of 15 fleets racing simultaneously on five different race courses - from a 0.5 nautical mile windward-leeward course for the ​ Bluenose class in front of the Chester Yacht Club, to the 20-plus-nautical-mile-long, offshore distance course for big boats. The fleets can accommodate everyone from competitive one-design hulls to classic wooden boats and cruising boats racing without spinnakers.

Chester’s sailing regattas were first documented in 1856 and, since then, tourists and locals alike have taken ​ ​ in the natural beauty of the area by both land and sea. A community-based, volunteer-driven event, Helly Hansen Chester Race Week boasts a full schedule of public-friendly events with live music, great food, yacht races, plus racing seminars from internationally renowned sailors, tacticians, boat builders and sailmakers. Visit www.ChesterRaceWeek.com ​

Media contact: Holly Dunn, [email protected], 902-266-3866 ​ ​ ​

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